Here's to Living
by candy2112
Summary: When it's the end of the world, you don't expect to find hope. But for some, hope has a different meaning. When Rick and his group stumble across Penny, he finds hope. After the events on Hershel's farm, they were just looking for a place that was safe, but maybe they found something more. Could Penny be the hope they were looking for? Rick Grimes/OC(Penny) and Daryl Dixon/OC(?).
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Walking Dead or anything that looks familiar. I do, however, own Penelope Destler and any plot that may deviate from the original series.**

The forest was quiet, almost too quiet, but Penelope Destler, Penny for short, wasn't worried. Standing at a measly 5'2", she was shorter than most people, but what she lacked in height, she made up for in pure skill. Back when she was a teenager, way before the world had turned into a horror movie, she had taken up fencing. At the time, it seemed kind of boring and meaningless, but she kept at it purely because it annoyed her parents. Now however, she was thankful she had been in the sport for so long. Surviving was a lot easier when you already knew how to fight, and the swords helped too.

Turning to the right, Penny glanced over her shoulder, an old habit she had picked up, before looking back to the front. Standing in front of her, a few yards away, was the most beautiful sight she had seen in weeks. Two deer stood, grazing on the grass at their feet, or hooves. One was obviously only a few weeks old, the other most likely the young ones mother. Penny knew she would have to kill both animals, she did need to survive somehow, but she didn't want to risk using the gun she had picked up a few towns back. The corpses would hear the gunfire and come this way. Making a last minute decision, Penny grabbed the simple wood bow her father had given her six years prior, and prepared an arrow.

" _Father, why are you holding a bow?" The teenager asked her tired looking father. He was never the best at giving out presents, mostly because he never knew what to get, but she understood that he meant well anyways._

" _Well, I thought you would be able to use it somehow. You seem to like that sport with the bendy sticks, so I figured you would appreciate learning archery as well." Her father's logic never ceased to amaze her. She had no idea how he had made the leap from fencing to archery, but that was just the way his mind worked._

" _Fencing, father, the sport is called fencing."_

" _Yes, well, here you go," Her father ran his hand through his greying hair before handing her the wood bow and a quiver full of arrows. "I need to run by the office, so make sure your mother gets her meals on time tonight. You know how she gets when the routine is off." Before the teenage girl could utter a word, her father spun on his heel and sped out of the room. Her father was a man of few words, and was extremely uncomfortable in social situations. He never bothered to stick around for dinner or make appearances at family gatherings, choosing instead to spend his time at the office. As the CEO of a fortune five-hundred company, he could afford to pay people to do all his talking for him._

Shaking her head slightly to rid her mind of the memory plaguing her, Penny once again focused on the task at hand. Aiming the arrow at the mother deer, Penny allowed herself to take a deep breath before releasing the arrow. The young deer had taken off as soon as his mother had collapsed to the ground, but he was easy enough to track, even with Penny's mediocre skill. After the deer had both been skinned and cut up, Penny collected all the meat into a large duffle bag and made her way back to the cabin she was holed up in. Having found the cabin a little over a week ago, Penny was growing used to her secluded life, pretending the dead weren't up and walking.

Setting up a fire in the fireplace, she placed a small portion of the meat she had just acquired over the flames. While it was cooking, she decided to take a shower. The water wasn't warm by any means, but she was just thankful for the fact that there was running water in the first place. Washing off all the dirt and grime that covered her pale skin and coated her flaming red hair, Penny was honestly relaxed for the first time that day. She knew she shouldn't have been, but occasionally people's guards have to be let down.

It took her a moment to notice it, but once she did, she shut the water off and grabbed the nearest towel. After wrapping the towel around her body, she grabbed the gun laying on the bathroom counter and pressed her ear against the door. Someone was in the house, and by the sound of it, they knew she was there as well. She could hear the footsteps coming closer to the door, and she watched in horror as the doorknob started to slowly turn. Stepping back a few feet and raising the gun in her hands, Penny prepared herself for the worst.

As the door flew open, two men stood in the doorway; one with a gun and the other with a crossbow. No one said anything for a minute, most likely out of shock. Luckily neither of the men seemed to want to kill her, but both kept their weapons aimed at her.

"Who are you and what do you want?" Penny asked. She did her best to keep the fear out of her voice, but she knew that she didn't succeed.

"I'm Rick, this is Daryl. We don't want to hurt you, we just want to talk." Looking at the men closely, Penny could see the purple shadows under their eyes. "Who are you?" The man, Rick, asked her. She tilted her head slightly to the side and stared straight into his eyes.

"My name is Penny, and if you aren't going to shoot me, do you mind leaving so I can put on some clothes and then we can "talk"?" Both men glanced down slightly at her body as she mentioned putting on clothes, before both looked back up.

"I- yes, we can do that. Uh, we'll just be downstairs if that's alright?" Penny nodded slightly, lowered her gun, and gestured for them to move so she could close the door. Once the door had been shut, Penny glanced at her reflection in the mirror, almost shuddering at her appearance. She looked like a drowned rat that had scars running across the top of her chest. Her red hair clung to her face, hanging down to just above her shoulders. The dull green eyes staring back at her were nothing like they used to be; alive, bright, _happy_ … Freckles dotted her cheekbones and her nose, as well as the tops of her shoulders. She absolutely hated her freckles, mostly because they made her look like she was 12. But in that moment, it wasn't her reflection she was thinking about, it was the people downstairs.

Why did she not shoot them as soon as she saw them? She knew that answer already, but it still flitted across her mind. She didn't shoot them because she hadn't killed a single living person yet, and she didn't want too. She had seen what some people turned into after the world went to shit, and she didn't want to be like that. She wanted to believe that there were still good people out there. That there was still a chance, hope even. On top of that, she was lonely as well. Having been on her own for a few months now, she had grown accustomed to talking to herself. Not in the crazy way, but just so she could hear her voice and know that she was alive.

Putting on the cleanest pair of clothes she had, Penny made her way slowly downstairs. When she reached the bottom, the sight that greeted her almost made her smile. There was a fairly large group of people, some standing, some sitting, waiting around for her. The man she had met earlier, Rick, was standing in the middle of the room next to a tall, brown haired, pregnant lady and a young boy. Daryl was off to the side close to a short haired woman and a blonde teenager. Everyone had stopped their talking as soon as she arrived and turned their attention to the redhead standing at the bottom of the stairs. Allowing a small smile to cross her face, Penny looked to the group of people and cleared her throat.

"Anyone hungry?"

 **So I know that the story has only just started, but if you could review and tell me what you think, that would be great! I have decided that the first person to review this story will have my second original character named after them, or whatever name they choose. You will be contacted through PM, so please do not just post your name in order to "win". I will choose the first actual review, which means telling me what you liked, didn't like, or providing criticism/suggestions.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Walking Dead or any characters from the original series. I do, however, own Penelope Destler and any plot you do not recognize!**

 **I would like to thank littletripper25 for reviewing the first chapter! It means so much to me! Since you were the first person to review, you get the honors of naming my second OC after yourself or choosing a name. Please look in your inbox for a message from me regarding the details of your character.**

"Anyone hungry?"

With that one question, it seemed as if the whole group relaxed slightly. The young boy even gave a smile to the redhead. Penny made her way to the dufflebag full of deer meat and placed more above the fire. She had been hoping the deer meat would last her the week, but it seemed as if that wouldn't be happening. When the food was cooking over the flames, Penny turned to face the group of people. All of them were staring at her, watching her every move.

"Go ahead and make yourselves at home. There's plenty of space for everyone," Penny gestured to the furniture around them. After everyone, except Daryl who was standing next to the door, was seated, the questions began. "I've already made it clear that I don't mind you all being here, but I would like to know why you're here?"

Rick was the one who answered. It was fairly obvious he was the leader of sorts, and Penny could see why. The way he spoke with authority and confidence created a calm and relaxed environment. "We've been traveling for a few days, trying to find a place safe enough to settle down in for a few weeks. Originally we were on a farm, Hershel's farm, but we got overrun by walkers and were forced to leave. It's been about three days since then. We managed to make it up the highway quite a ways, but a horde of walkers blocked the way, so we ran through the forest and ended up here. We saw the smoke coming out of the chimney, but we needed a place to camp for the night. I had hoped that it was an old fire or that whoever was in here had left, but when we heard the running water, I knew you were still here. After that, I just hoped you were one of the few good people left in this world." The

group remained quiet throughout his explanation, all of them staring at Penny, gauging her reaction.

Penny gave a bright smile at the group before standing and making her way to the fireplace. The meat was almost done, so she reached into her backpack and took out three cans of beans. Using a relatively clean pot from the small kitchen, Penny opened the cans and started to cook the beans. This group of theirs was obviously hungry, and they were going to need food in order to keep their strength up; especially the pregnant woman.

"You are welcome to stay here as long as you want. I've got enough deer meat to last us two more days and plenty of canned food to keep us going. There are three bedrooms upstairs, two with king size beds and one with two twin size beds. The couch down here has a pull out bed and there is a cot in the closet down the hall. It's getting late, so you are welcome to eat, then head off to sleep if you'd like. We can do another round of twenty questions in the morning. I know you're probably curious about me, but with all things considering, I think it can wait a few hours." With that, everyone gathered around the fire, used any sort of plate, bowl, or pan they could find, and sat down to the first real meal they'd had in days.

Penny noticed the looks she was getting from the pregnant lady. It was like she hated Penny, but she didn't know her, so why would she? Ignoring the looks, she waited patiently for everyone to get their fill before eating some herself. When everyone had finished, Penny gathered the dishes and made her way into the kitchen. The short haired lady, Carol, helped her with washing the dishes and drying them. After finishing the task with silence in the air, Carol turned to her and smiled.

"Thank you for letting us in. You didn't have to, but you did. None of us will forget this, I promise."

"My mother used to tell me that when you have nothing to live for, you find yourself far more accepting and caring than before. I never really knew what she meant, but I think this is as close to that meaning as I can get." Penny gave Carol a small smile before walking back to the living room. "You are all welcome to the rooms upstairs and the furniture down here. I have my things in the master bedroom upstairs, but you need the room more than I, so after I've moved my stuff out, it's yours."

"You don't have to do that, you were here first. That room is rightfully yours," Rick told her. The rest of the group nodded at his words.

"I appreciate that, but I stand by my words. You need it more than I. Don't worry about me," Penny said. She gave one last smile before turning and making her way upstairs.

Hershel, Maggie, and Beth took the master room. Andrea, T-Dog, and Carol took the other room with the king sized bed, also taking the cot from by the closet. Rick, Carl, and Lori took the two twin beds in the last room. Glenn and Daryl shared the pull out bed, and Penny used her sleeping bag in front of the fireplace. That night was the first night in a long time where Penny fell asleep to the sounds of other people breathing and snoring. She knew that she had made the right decision in letting them in.

 **So Penny met the whole group. What do you think? Questions, comments, or suggestions? Please review and let me know!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Walking Dead or anything that you recognize from the original series. I do, however, own Penelope Destler and any plot you don't recognize.**

 **I'd like everyone to know that littletripper25 has won the right to have a character named after/made for this story. The new character will be added in a few chapters. I'm not sure if I will be adding more original character's or not, yet, but if I do decide to, keep an eye out and maybe you too can have a character named after you!**

 _"Penelope, darling, would you be a dear and fetch me some water? This heat is just positively stifling." Jennifer Destler, a beautiful woman on the outside with flaming red locks of hair that hung down past her shoulders, a heart shaped face, and ice blue eyes. On the inside, however, she was as ugly as they come. She sounded sweet to anyone's ears. Her polite words would never leave you thinking she was capable of abusing anyone, but the scars on Penny's chest and shoulders said otherwise._

 _"Yes, of course, mother." Giving her mother a small curtsey and a forced smile, Penny dashed down the stairs to fetch a glass of water. She knew she had to make it quick. Her mother was not a patient woman._

 _With a glass of water in one hand, Penny made her way upstairs to her mother. Not even two feet from the room her mother was in, Henry, her younger brother, ran out of the room laughing and straight into Penny. Before she could even blink, the glass of water fell from her hand and shattered on the cold and unforgiving floor beneath her. Penny closed her eyes in fear, knowing her mother had heard the glass breaking and was just waiting to punish her._

 _"Penny, you know better than to be so clumsy! Go straight to your room and do not come out until I say you can, understood?" Penny nodded quickly, her hair a wild mess with the ferocious head shaking, before darting off to her room as fast as she could. She knew she was in trouble now, even though it wasn't her fault._

 _Henry was only three years old, he didn't really know better, so she couldn't be too mad at him, but her mother would jump at any chance she got to punish Penny. For some unknown reason, Jennifer Destler only abused Penny. Her father knew about it. He had seen the many bruises and scars that were visible, but he still did nothing to stop it. Henry was the perfect child according to their mother. She would never abuse him..._

 _She heard the clicking of her mother's heels first. Click, click, click. Next came the knocking on her door. Two knocks, short and loud. Penny didn't move from her spot by the large window. She knew her mother would let herself in. Penny could hear as the door slowly opened, allowing her insane mother inside. She heard as her mother crossed the hardwood floor, her heels still making that damn clicking sound. Click, click, click. Only when her mother was standing directly behind her did Penny turn around. The fifteen year old teenager met her mother's eyes and watched as her lips curled up into a cruel smile. Penny could see the hate behind her mother's ice blue eyes. She knew what was coming next._

 _Penny watched with thinly veiled fear in her eyes as her mother's hand fell to the belt holding her slacks in place. Somewhere in the back of her mind, Penny could hear a small voice asking why her mother always wore a belt, but she knew the answer. When the belt had been removed and the smile on her mother's face grew wider, Penny closed her eyes and tensed her body. Eventually her mother would force Penny to take off her shirt, purely so her mother could have the sick pleasure of watching her body get marked by the belt. These days were the "good" days. It was the days when her mother chained her to the basement wall and used some of her many "toys" to inflict pain that Penny feared most. Penny was pulled from her thoughts by the sound of the belt rushing through the air. The searing pain of the belt whipping against her chest caused her to cry out. Her mother was most likely grinning like mad now. She enjoyed her daughter's pain far too much. Penny felt the belt leave her skin, and prepared herself for the next blow._

"Hey, wake up," the feeling of being shaken caused Penny to sit straight up. Crouching next to her was Daryl, his bow slung over his back. When he saw she was awake, he gave her a single nod, turned, and walked out the door. Penny glanced to the windows, covered by a thin layer of green curtains. It was still dark outside, but the small sliver of bluish light told her it was almost sun up. Looking back to the couch, Penny let out a breath at the still sleeping form of Glenn. She ran her hands through her hair, sighing as she did so. She knew she had started to get restless in her last few moments of sleeping, maybe even started talking in her sleep. Daryl had woken her up at the perfect moment, otherwise she was sure the entire house would have been awake and rushing to find out what she was screaming about.

Slowly rising from her sleeping bag, Penny grabbed her clothes and made her way to the small bath room next to the stairs. After changing, brushing her hair and teeth, and glaring at her reflection in the mirror, Penny made her way back to the living room only to stop short at the sight before her. Rick sat at the tiny dining room table with his head in his hands. He looked tired, upset, and angry. It took him a moment to notice the redhead standing in the doorway, but when he did, he gave her a small smile before gesturing to the only other chair. Sitting down, Penny allowed herself to study the man sitting across from her for the first time. His brown hair, short, but starting to curl at the ends, was disheveled. His bright blue eyes, not at all like her mothers, were staring at her with a warm, kind gaze. She had a feeling he was studying her as she was him. No words were spoken, but none needed to be. Both were comfortable with the silence.

When Penny heard the sounds of people moving around upstairs, she excused herself to begin making breakfast. Gathering the pre made pancake mix Penny had found at the last house she raided, she began the process of cooking for a large group. Looking up when she felt the gaze of someone beside her, Rick stood a few feet to the side.

"Is there anything I can do to help?" He asked her.

"Could you gather the plates and maybe see if you can find some forks? I have a feeling everyone's going to be hungry." Rick nodded before walking back to the kitchen. Focusing back on the task at hand, Penny flipped the pancake to cook the other side. Once it was finished she placed it on the dish next to her, then filled the pan once more with the batter. A quiet groan made her glance to Glenn. He was sitting on the edge of the bed, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

"Do you know how long it's been since I've had pancakes?" Glenn muttered. Penny laughed at the young man.

"Well why don't you go get ready and by the time you're finished, the pancakes will be ready." Glenn smiled at Penny, then made his way upstairs. Returning to the pancakes, Penny was once again interrupted by the clearing of a throat. Looking up, she met the blue eyes of Daryl. He held three squirrels in one hand.

"I figured I'd give these to you to try and make up for the deer we ate." Penny smiled at him, took the squirrel, and placed it near the bag of deer meat.

"I appreciate that, and I'll skin it and put it in with the rest, but while you guys are here, what's mine is yours." Daryl nodded and began making his way out of the room. Before he walked out the door once more, however, he glanced back at the young woman sitting in front of the fire.

"You good?" Two words. That's all it took for Penny's nightmare to come back to the front of her mind. She had been having that nightmare for years now, but it wasn't really a nightmare; it was a memory. Looking at the man in the doorway, Penny nodded once and forced a small smile. Daryl looked like he didn't believe her, but he accepted her answer and left the room.

Turning back to the pancakes, Penny thought about her mother. She hadn't always been like that. At one point, when she was younger, her mother was very loving and kind. She loved Penny and took care of her like most mothers. But one day, when Penny was twelve, her mother disappeared for a few days. No one knew where she had gone, but when she finally came back, she was different. Her father always said that it was just the shock she went through while being gone, but Penny didn't believe it. Mothers weren't supposed to abuse their children.

Lost in her thoughts while cooking the pancakes, Penny didn't notice when she was joined by another person. The clearing of a throat made her jump. Rick was sitting beside her, portioning the pancakes onto a variety of dishes.

"I think that's enough pancakes. Why don't you join us in the dining room? We can eat then talk, if you'd like?" Penny looked into his bright blue eyes, and without realizing it, smiled at him. He smiled back, stood up, and held out a hand. Accepting the hand he offered, Penny followed Rick into the dining room and smiled at the sight before her. Hershel and Lori sat at the table, everyone else was scattered, sitting on the floor or the counters. After Penny helped passing out the food, she sat down next to Glenn and Maggie and enjoyed her own breakfast. If she was being honest with herself, she could get used to this.

 **What do you think? Please review! I'm sorry if there are some mistakes, I typed this chapter up on my phone.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Thank you to** _ **Katiefall**_ **for reviewing! It means so much to me!**

 **The hospital mentioned in the beginning of the chapter is completely made up! I do not know if there is a hospital named Saint Mary's Hospital in St. Louis!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own The Walking Dead. I only own Penelope Destler and any plot you do not recognize.**

Everyone was silent while eating their breakfast. Occasionally Carl would whisper something to his mother, but other than that, nothing. The group was content to keep the atmosphere relaxed and calm. It only took a few minutes before everyone had finished eating. The end of the world made you not care about taking your time or enjoying the food. When the last bite had been taken, Rick immediately turned to Penny, the group watching and waiting.

"We'd like to ask you a few questions, if that's alright?" At Penny's nod, he continued. "Feel free to ask us anything you'd like as well. I guess we'll start with the easy ones first. Before the end of the world, what did you do?"

"Well, I worked at Saint Mary's Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri. I was one of the medical assistants in the obstetrician's lab," at the blank look on about half the groups faces, Penny elaborated. "The birthing department." Almost immediately everyone's heads turned to Lori. After a minute, though, Rick continued his questioning.

"What have you been doing since the breakout?"

"At first I was with a small group of friends from the hospital. We had all been trapped in the quarantine section and just barely managed to get out alive. We ended up hiding in a supply closet until we could make a break for it. None of us knew how bad it was outside, we had been working all night to try and help the emergency department, so when we finally got outside, we didn't know what to do. The cops were shooting at anything that moved, alive or dead. People were breaking into other people's houses, stealing their stuff, and killing the families still inside. It was a mad house. We ran as fast as we could out of the town. It didn't matter where we ended up, just that we got out. We stumbled upon an old, run down shack. Barricaded the doors and windows, and hid for a few days. We only left the shack to hunt, and even then we stayed close to the house. In the middle of the night on the third day, a horde of them stumbled upon us."

 _Flashback_

" _Grace, do you hear that?" Marcie, a tired, older woman, asked. Her voice was frantic, but still a whisper. The woman in question, Grace O'Neal, rolled over on her makeshift bed._

" _Go back to sleep Marcie, it was just your imagination." Penny knew that Marcie was a bit skittish and jumped at every noise, but she also knew that you could never be too careful. Turning to her newfound friends, Penny examined Marcie's worried face. The girl was pale with large purple bags under her eyes. But that wasn't what convinced Penny to go take a look at the noise, it was the look in her eyes. Pure fear, a need to be believed, and confidence that she was right. Penny gave a small nod to the frightened woman and stood up. Grabbing the hunting rifle that the girls had found when they first found the shack, she made her way to the front windows._

" _Where are you going, Penny?" The sleepy voice came from the only dark haired woman in the room; Adelina Williams. She was the youngest woman in the small group, but she was one of Penny's favorites. The dark haired woman was extremely stubborn, but she was also fiercely loyal, and innocent in a way that made Penny think of her younger self. Though Adelina would never admit it, and she was fairly good at hiding it from the others, she had some separation anxiety. Penny could see it easily, probably because of her own mental issues she had to deal with on a daily basis._

" _I'm going to check out the noise Marcie heard outside. I have to make sure we are safe here." The dark haired woman nodded slightly. "Stay in here, keep the curtains closed, and keep quiet." The three other women in the room nodded, and began to move around to different areas of the small shack. Penny turned back to the door, breathing deeply, she carefully made her way onto the small porch. It was so dark, she couldn't even see the edge of the porch. She could hear the trees rustling in the wind, the chirping of crickets, and the hooting of a single owl._

 _Carefully maneuvering herself off the porch and down the rickety steps, Penny began to trek quietly towards the forest. The only sounds she could hear were that of the nature around her. That set her on edge, but Penny couldn't help but let her mind wander back to the three woman in the shack. Marcie, Grace, and, Adelina. Marcie was a fellow obstetrician. Penny had met Marcie when the redhead was first hired. Marcie was the senior obstetrician, having been with the hospital for twenty-five years. She had been Penny's mentor when she first started, helping the girl to get the rhythm of the hospital. The older woman was extremely kind, and was easily pushed around by those with more power than her. It was because of this that Penny had gone off on multiple doctors who took advantage of the older woman. Penny felt very protective of her, and the feeling was mutual._

 _Grace was a complete opposite of Marcie. The woman, with striking blonde hair, and the darkest eyes she had ever seen, almost black, was a hothead. Penny had never met Grace before the end of the world, but the two immediately got along with their similarities. Grace had been abused for years by her father when she was younger, before her aunt found out and removed her from the home. From the time she was fourteen and on, she grew up in a happy home with her aunt and her cousin, Melanie. Grace had been a member of the Emergency crew, she was usually found on the ambulance with the first responders, but every medical personnel had been ordered to the ER to help with all the patients coming in. Grace had found the three woman backed into a corner, literally, and led them to the supply closet to hide._

 _Adelina Williams, the youngest woman of their small group. At twenty-two, she had just finished her schooling to become a nurse. She had only been with the hospital for a few months, before the zombie apocalypse hit. She was an intern, who occasionally helped out in Penny's department. The redheaded woman had only met the intern a few times, usually in passing, but Adelina had proven to be a good person, even now. The rest of the group didn't know much about the young, dark haired woman. All they knew was that she was adopted, and had lost her biological parents at a young age. That, and she really,_ _ **really**_ _loves peaches… The woman would talk of nothing else when they managed to get some food. Adelina was innocent in a way. She managed to turn almost anything into a joke, including the end of the world._

 _Those women back in the shack were all Penny had left. She had never been one to believe in a higher power of any sort, but if there had been a God, surely they were brought together for a reason, and she had to believe that. What else was there to believe in? Her "family" had long since been dead to her. She didn't really have any friends, mostly because of her odd hours at work, but also because she felt no need to get close to someone and have them ripped away. Penny knew that it was the people closest to you that betrayed you the most. But now, with the world gone to hell, Penny was stuck with those women and for once, she felt as if she belonged._

 _Penny didn't have time to dwell on her thoughts, however, as a twig snapped a few yards from where she was standing. Spinning to her left, Penny held the gun up, her hands shaking slightly in fear. It took a moment to hear it, but when she did, panic filled her. She could hear the shuffling feet and the groaning of the corpses. By the sound of it, there was a lot of them, and they were coming this way. Quickly she ran back up the steps, tripping twice in the process due to the darkness. Flinging the wood door open, it only took a moment for Penny to gather her bearings and shout at the three women, all huddled together next to the window._

" _Run!" Everything happened so fast, no one could see where they were going, but they knew they had to move fast. Penny ran as fast as she could in towards the tree line, carefully maneuvering around each tree. She could hear the three other girls just behind her, panting, even crying quietly. They had been running for less than two minutes before a scream came from Marcie. Frantically turning to search for the woman, Penny ended up colliding with Grace. The air rushed out of her lungs at the force she was knocked to the ground with. Her head hitting the tree root sticking out of the ground, hard. She couldn't see anything, except this time, it wasn't because of the lack of light._

" _Penny!" It sounded like Adelina, who screamed her name, however, she couldn't be sure. Blinking her eyes slowly, trying to fight the darkness that threatened to pull her under, she stood, holding the tree for support. Her vision cleared in time for her to see the body of Marcie being pulled apart and eaten by the rotting corpses surrounding her. Letting out a stifled cry for her friend, Penny turned and ran, barely managing to stay up right. Grace and Adelina were nowhere to be seen. The only sounds Penny could hear was the constant groaning of the corpses behind her, forcing her to keep going. But she knew that she couldn't keep running forever, she had to somehow lose the corpses._

 _Looking around, quickly, Penny spotted an opening in the trees, allowing a brief glimpse at what looked to be a public restroom. 'Must be on the hiking trail', she thought. With the last of her strength, she made her way to the shelter. Quietly opening the door and making her way inside, she didn't even bother to check if there was someone else in there, before closing the door softly behind her. She didn't want to alert the corpses as to her whereabouts. Barely managing to take one step before she collapsed to the ground, Penny could see, with blurred vision, two figures standing over her. After that, all she saw was darkness._

 _End of flashback_

The room was quiet for a minute, before Carol broke the silence. "Was it Grace and Adelina that was in the restroom?" Penny looked into the older woman's eyes, filled with curiosity and pain. Penny gave her a small, sad smile, before shaking her head.

"No, sadly it wasn't them. Instead, when I woke up, I came face to face with two children. Both of them had been with their parents, going camping on the trail for the weekend, when it hit. Their parents were attacked in front of them, but the children got away and hid in the restrooms." Looking around the room, Penny noted that everyone was staring at the floor or the walls with a blank stare, obviously picturing what Penny had described to them.

"What happened after that?" She had expected that question from Rick, but to her surprise, it was Daryl that spoke. Meeting the archer's stare with one of her own, Penny answered.

"We, the kids and I, stayed put for a whole day, not wanting to risk being caught unaware. After I had deemed it safe to leave, we made our way as carefully as we could to the nearest town. I wanted to stock up on supplies and food. In only four days since the outbreak, the entire town we found had been vacated. I found an abandoned car, told them to sit in it and to not move, and then went to find a safe place to stay for a bit. I ended up finding a house about a block away, fully stocked with food, but no medical supplies. We set up camp there for a whole week before we ran out of food. During the day I would go back to the forest, try and find Grace and Adelina, but I'm not a tracker. I couldn't find them anywhere." Feeling a pair of eyes on her, Penny glanced at the man sitting next to her. Rick was staring at her, studying her face. His warm, blue eyes taking in every detail. Penny had to tear her gaze away from the man, forcing herself to look at the floor. She had never been shy around boys before, even dated three different boys in high school, but he was different; he was a _man_ , not a boy. Managing to fight down the blush that wanted to appear on her cheeks, the redhead continued her story.

"After the week at the house, I took the kids and made our way to the other side of the town. We found a new house, not as stocked up on food, but I could make a few runs to get some more. The first night was fine, but the next morning, I decided to go on a run for medical supplies. Casey, the youngest child, had fallen earlier that morning and needed a few stitches for the cut on her leg. Greg, Casey's brother, stayed with her at my command. The run went fine, I even found some medication that could help with infections, but when I got back…" Penny's voice cracked at the end of her last word. The whole group, knowing the gist of what was to come, let out a sigh of anguish. Carol, having lost her own daughter, let her shoulder sag with the weight of her pain.

"It's okay, you don't ha-," Rick started to say. He could see the pain in her green eyes as she spoke. Penny, however, cut him off before he could continue.

"No, I- uh, I need to get this out. Please," At Rick's hesitant nod, Penny let out a sigh. "Well, when I got back, I knew something was wrong right away,"

 _Flashback_

' _So far, everything's gone smoothly', Penny thought. She had gotten the items needed to give the small child stitches, even found a bottle of prescription medicine to fight infection with. At the last house she visited, she found a few cans of fruit, even a can of peaches. 'If only Adelina was here, she would be so excited…'_

 _Penny let out a sigh at her train of thought. She knew it would do no good to dwell on her misfortune, but she did miss her new friends dearly. Rounding the last corner to the house in which the children were currently holed up in, Penny felt her whole body freeze at the sight before her. There, in the midst of about a hundred corpses, was the house. All the corpses were trying to squeeze themselves into the tiny doorway, the door wide open. Running as fast as her legs would carry her, Penny ran around to the other side of the house. She knew she couldn't go inside, she would end up being eaten alive by the corpses, but she had to get the children. Looking around frantically, she saw a trellis with roses climbing up the house. Determination rushed through her, and before she could think twice, she climbed up the trellis and stepped onto the lower level of the roof._

 _Careful to not fall off the side of the slanted roof, Penny made her way to the first window she could see and looked inside. The children weren't in that room, but a lone corpse was standing locked in the room. Rushing to the second window, Penny glanced in before swiftly leaning over the side of the roof and throwing up. The children had tried to lock themselves in the master bedroom, but it seemed as if the corpses had gotten in. Greg's head was attached to his body by a layer of skin, his stomach being ripped open and chewed on. He was missing his left ear and his nose, both having been chewed off. Casey, laying in a puddle of her own blood on the floor not even a foot from her brother, was missing her right arm entirely. Her legs were being chewed on, and there was a hole in her chest where a corpse was pulling out the young girl's heart and eating it._

 _The sight of the two kids laying on the floor, their eyes staring blankly at the ceiling above them, was burned into Penny's mind. She had left them, told them they were safe, and this is what happened. Penny couldn't help but think it was all her fault. If she had stayed, or even brought them with her, they would still be alive._

 _End of flashback_

"I didn't know what to do. They were dead, but I didn't want to leave them. I had no choice, though. So, I took what I had on me and ran. I didn't stop running until I collapsed in the middle of the woods. After that, I decided to just be on my own. I travelled through the woods, mostly, but occasionally I'd make my way to a city for supplies. It was on one of my runs that I happened across an old, run down shop. It was mostly empty, but whoever had raided it before me had left a sword, hidden under the counter. That was all I needed to begin my retribution. I killed ever walker I saw, didn't leave any of them. I raided every house I saw, took any supplies I could find, and kept to the woods whenever I could. I've been on my own ever since. Found this cabin about a week ago, decided to set up camp here, and did my best to move on."

Her story was met with silence and sad stares from the group around her. No one spoke a word, probably not knowing what to say, but Penny appreciated the silence. Ever since she had lost the children, she refused to think about it, but telling the group of people around her about her time with her friends and the children brought back unpleasant memories for Penny. After a solid three minutes, Hershel was the first one to speak.

"I'm so sorry for your loss. Every one of us here has lost someone, we all know how you feel." The people around her nodded at Hershel's words. Penny smiled slightly at the older man, understanding what he meant. For the rest of the morning, the group shared their stories with Penny. From the sheltered family of Hershel, to the harsh awaking of Rick. Each story was special, and each story brought Penny closer to her new friends. They may have only met, but maybe this could be the group of people she was meant to be with. Looking at the man sitting beside her, Penny allowed a small smile to form. _Definitely the people I'm supposed to be with_.

 **So, what do you think? It's definitely longer than my previous chapters, so that's why it took so long to get posted, but I hope you guys like it! Please review! It would mean so much to me!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Please don't hate me! I know I haven't updated in a** _ **long**_ **time, but I haven't forgotten this story, I promise! Please enjoy this chapter as an apology, and be expecting another chapter by Monday night!**

 **Disclaimer: I do NOT own The Walking Dead, but Penny and any other OC is mine.**

Swatting another bug away from her face, Penny bit back a groan. It had been a month since the group left the cabin. A month of being on the run, constantly in fear of being caught unaware by a horde of walkers. They hadn't found a safe place to set up camp yet. Occasionally they found a house, or a storage unit to stay for a few nights, but eventually, another horde would find them. Most of the time, the group just set up camp in the middle of the forest, hanging anything metal they could as an alarm system. The forest also allowed Daryl to hunt as much as he wanted, and Penny was quickly learning he liked being on his own.

Usually Daryl would go alone, preferring the silence to chatty humans, but today Penny went with him. He taught her a few things about traps, showing her how and where to set them. After he had gone through his lesson, however, he took off in one direction, and Penny in the other. She respected Daryl's need for space, and knew he had probably used up most of his social interaction for the day. So far, there had been no sign of any living creature besides the bugs currently making it their mission to infuriate Penny. Stepping over a fallen tree, doing her best not to trip, Penny spotted a clearing in the tree line.

With curiosity rushing through her veins, Penny pushed through the branches hanging in her way, stopping short at the sight before her. Her green eyes widened and a gasp escaped her mouth. In front of her, with a wooden fence surrounding it, was what looked to be a high school. If everything worked out, maybe it could be a place to stay for a while. Since the whole world ended on a weekend, the school should be fairly empty of walkers. This could be the safe place they had been waiting for. Pulling out her hunting knife, Penny walked towards the closest tree and made a small mark at the base of it, then made her way back to the camp, occasionally marking the base of another tree.

When she finally found the small clearing that the group had set up in, Penny made her way straight over to where Rick was standing, talking to Hershel and Glenn. All three men looked to her with wide eyes as she practically skipped over, a large grin on her face. Hershel couldn't contain the small smile he had on his face, his white beard standing out on his skin. Glenn gave a small laugh at Penny's display. Glenn and Penny had grown closer over the month, their similar sense of humor allowing them to find comfort in each other by jokes. After the first week or so of being in the cabin, Glenn had challenged her to a 'joke off'. Every day, the two of them would do their best to come up with the funniest joke they could remember from before the zombie apocalypse. It did more than cause a few people to laugh, it allowed everyone to feel almost normal. It reminded them of what the world was like before.

Rick Grimes, the unanimously appointed leader of the group, was the last man Penny glanced at. In the past month, Penny had stayed away from the tall, rugged man. It wasn't that she didn't like him, quite the opposite actually, but with the world the way it was, romance was not an option. They had been civil to each other, polite to a fault, but they couldn't be in the same place alone. Penny wasn't sure how the man felt about her, but the physical attraction was so strong for her. Any time she was alone with him, she was scared that she was going to end up jumping his bones. Thankfully, Penny had more self-control than she thought, and was able to keep her distance. It was more than physical attraction, however. Rick was pretty much her dream man. The way he interacted with Carl, put everyone else's safety above his own, and did his best to be fair in every decision proved to Penny that he was a good man, through and through. Lori, definitely showing her baby bump by now, had made it clear that Penny was to stay away from the man in question. Maggie had assured her, however, that Lori and Rick were not together in any way.

 _Flashback_

 _The group had just left the cabin earlier in the day, but by now the sun was at its peak and everyone was feeling the heat. The cabin had held up longer than Penny had expected, but a horde of walkers was making their way to the hidden paradise. Trying to avoid any bloodshed, the entire group packed up and left within the hour. Now, though, the adrenaline had faded and the initial excitement of an adventure had disappeared. They had found a small clearing and were now working on setting up the perimeter of rope and cans to help alert them to any invading walkers. A few of the men had taken off into the woods to find some food, and the rest of them were setting up tents._

 _Penny stood off to the side, sword on her back, helping Carol with her tent. The poor woman was still shaken up over losing her daughter, but she was steadily moving on. Penny appreciated her dedication to the group, but she was worried that the older woman hadn't grieved enough. Half way through getting the tent set up, Penny was approached by Lori. The woman was looking at her with contempt in her eyes, but Penny could care less. She didn't care what the other woman thought of her, her opinions had no effect on Penny._

" _Can we talk, in private?" The pregnant woman barely concealed a glare since Carol was watching. Nodding, Penny turned to Carol._

" _I'll be back in a minute Carol, then we can finish getting the tent up." Carol nodded at her, still watching Lori with curiosity, before going back to work on the tent. Penny followed Lori into the woods a few yards from the camp. When the woman finally stopped walking, she turned towards Penny and openly glared at her._

" _Stay away from him," She said. Penny couldn't help the scoff that forced its way past her lips. Arching one eyebrow, Penny gave the woman a cruel smile._

" _Why?" That one word set the pregnant woman off. She looked like she wanted to lunge at the redhead, but thought better of it. Instead, she chose to spit out her next words with as much spite as she could._

" _Because he's mine! Do you understand me? No whore will get in the way of my relationship. You are nothing compared to me, so don't even bother trying." Penny couldn't help but laugh at the other woman's words. Grabbing the nearest tree for support, she continued to laugh until tears were streaming down her face. Lori, deciding she wasn't going to stand around and wait for Penny to stop laughing, turned to leave, but Penny's next words stopped her short._

" _I'm sorry, who's the one who got pregnant with another man's baby while she was married? And I'm the whore?" Walking back towards camp, still chuckling, Penny left a stunned Lori to think over her words. Penny made it back to where Carol was, but she was now joined by Maggie. The young woman snickering into her hand, trying, and failing, to not look at Lori stalking off to her tent. Once Penny was in ear shot, Maggie let loose the giggles she was holding in, while Carol merely smirked._

" _That was brilliant, Penny." The gasping form of Maggie spoke. Carol nodded gently, only glancing at the red haired woman._

" _I'm not sure what's up with her. Lori, I mean. She's usually so nice, but for some reason she hates you." Carol told her. When a loud scoff came from Maggie, both women turned their attention to her._

" _She hates you because Rick's attracted to you and not her. Before Rick was reunited with Lori, she slept with Shane to "fill the void", or so she claims. In reality, she's just a woman that can't keep her legs together. And now that Shane's gone, she thinks Rick will just welcome her back with open arms, but he can't stand the sight of her anymore, not that I blame him. Trust me, Rick and Lori are not together, nor will they ever be. But while we're on the subject of a certain sheriff, what_ do _you think of him, Penny?"_

It was safe to say that Penny was a blushing mess by the end of that conversation, but her resolve on no relationships still stood. Not even Carol, who Penny had thought would side with her, had been the voice of reason. The older woman had jumped on the 'jump his bones bandwagon', as they took to calling it. But even after a month of living with the sheriff hadn't been enough to sway Penny. Penny called it stubborn, Maggie called it stupid.

"I think I found a safe place to stay for a while. About half an hour in that direction," Penny pointed over her shoulder, "is a school. There shouldn't be too many walkers in it, and the walls are thick. Even if we do manage to get overrun, there are plenty of escape points as well as hiding spots. It's perfect!" Penny was so proud of herself that the large smile on her face refused to disappear. Glenn gave a big whoop and picked up the red head before spinning her around. Hershel and Rick smiled at the two, one forced, one genuine. When Glenn had finished his celebratory spin, he put Penny back on the ground and ran off to inform the group. Hershel clapped Penny on the shoulder, smiling widely at the girl, before making his way to his tent he shared with his daughters.

"That's great. We'll form two groups and go in at opposite sides of the building. Try to secure it quickly and safely." Rick turned to Carol who was hanging up some of the newly washed clothes. "Carol? Would you mind watching Carl, Beth, and Lori?" Those three could watch themselves, but Rick still worried about them, especially Carl. Carol nodded before taking off to find her three charges. Rick turned back to Penny. "Good job." It wasn't a confession of love, but, for some reason, the look in his eyes made it seem like it. Penny smiled at the taller man before turning to prepare for securing the school. Once inside her tent, Penny's smile dropped and she almost smacked herself on the head. Rick had not made a confession of love, so why did Penny feel like he did? Sighing to herself, Penny sat on her cot. _Stupid girl_.

 **Like it? Love it? Hate it? Let me know with a review! :)**


	6. Chapter 6

**Welcome back, my lovelies! My, how I've missed you! Thank you for the amazing reviews! Every time I get a new review, my heart practically murders my body and jumps out of my chest. Not literally, but you get what I mean… Any who… Here's the next chapter! Enjoy and REVIEW!**

 **Chapter 6**

The group of survivors, led by Rick Grimes, was making their way to the school Penny spotted during her hunt. While the hunt itself way unsuccessful, Penny had found something way more important; shelter. When the group reached the edge of the forest, each mentally prepared themselves for whatever that red, brick building could hold. Maybe it was overrun, maybe it wasn't as secure as they hoped, or maybe, just maybe, it was everything they could ask for. No matter what they pictured lay beyond the walls of the school building, no one was prepared for what they would find.

The group of eight, at once, made their way to the school. Hershel, Maggie, Glenn, and T-Dog went to the left to go in the back entrance of the school. Andrea, Rick, Daryl, and Penny went to the front. On the playground, about three hundred yards away, was a lone walker. Rick nodded at Daryl, who ran closer and shot an arrow at the walkers head. Once the arrow was retrieved, the group proceeded to the front doors. The doors, a thick glass, were not locked, nor were they barred up. Penny glanced at Rick, at his nod, they both pushed one door open, careful to not make a sound. No lights were on, only pitch black lay before them. Andrea glanced at the bright sky outside uneasily, but was the first one to enter into the school. As their eyes adjusted to the darkness within, they were able to see that the hallway, branching off in front of them to either side, was completely empty. Every classroom door was open, no sign of life, or walkers, in sight. None of them relaxed, however, knowing that they could be ambushed at any moment.

They walked in silence for another few minutes, each one sweeping their eyes across the hall and any room they could see, just in case. It was about halfway through the school that they encountered the other four members of their group. None of them had seen anything, but they too remained vigilant. Rick led the group towards the only closed door in sight, and Penny could only guess that it was the cafeteria, because of the large double doors. Rick stepped up to the door, motioning for the rest of the group to stay quiet, and put his ear against the wood. He must have heard something, Penny thought, for his face seemed to draw in on itself, and he raised his gun higher. He held up three fingers, and each person raised they're weapon, preparing to fight, when the door opened on its own. For a, very brief, second, Penny's thoughts turned to automated doors, when she realized that it had not opened on its own. There, standing before the group, and apparently shocked into silence, was a young boy, no older than six. His white blonde hair stood out against the pitch black of the hallway, his bright blue eyes wide in terror, and his small mouth open in an 'O'. It was a blissfully quiet moment before all hell broke loose.

The kid screamed, and Penny was slightly in awe of his vocal prowess, and ran back into the cafeteria. Moments after the kid screamed, what sounded like dozens of echo's, but in reality was many more kids, followed. No one in their group knew what to do. They wouldn't kill kids, but they didn't want to be killed in the process of trying to explain their presence either. Frowning, Penny made a split second decision. She pushed the door open, ignoring the shouts from Rick and the others, held her hands above her head, her sword back in its sheath. The children, there looked to be about twenty of them, were huddled into a corner, all still screaming. In a second, Penny felt the barrel of a gun being pressed into the back of her head. She froze, her entire body going numb in preparation, when she heard the voice.

"Who are you and what do you want from us?" It was a simple question, but it wasn't the question itself that had Penny spinning around, a large grin on her face; it was the voice that belonged to the person pointing a gun at her.

"Adelina? Is that you?" When the dark haired woman came into Penny's line of sight, she saw the shock overtake her features.

"P-Penny?" The gun, which had been forgotten, was placed back in a holster at Adelina's side. The two friends threw their arms around each other, both unable to form actual sentences, and both with tears falling down their cheeks. Neither woman looked up as the rest of Penny's group made their way inside the room with shocked looks. It was only when Penny felt a small hand pull on her shirt that she looked down.

"Are you going to hurt us?" It was the same little boy from before, and Penny almost lunged herself at him when his bottom lip began to tremble.

"No, we're not going to hurt you, I promise." Penny knelt down to his level, and the boy gave her a small smile, before turning and running back to the other children. Penny turned to her friend, still in a state of disbelief, and raised her eyebrow.

"It's a long story." And for the first time in what felt like years, Penny laughed. Not at Lori for her ridiculous beliefs, not at Glenn for his hysterical jokes, and not at T-Dog when he managed to trip over thin air. She laughed because she could, and Adelina joined her. There weren't many good days, Penny thought, but she would consider this one as one of the best.

 **Well? I know it's a little shorter than my others, but I hope you liked it. Please review!**


	7. Update: Please Read

Hello my dearest readers! Good news, I'M NOT DEAD! Unfortunately, this is not an update, so I am sorry about the false alarm. However, for those of you still reading, please get ready for the update that will be coming very shortly. A few things are going to change, however, and that is why I am posting this on all my stories. I will be continuing all these stories, however, it won't be on this site. This past year that I've been gone has been rough. I can't even begin to describe how my life has changed, but I feel like I should try so that you might be able to understand why I've neglected my stories.

Most of you don't know me, so you probably don't know my personal life story, but here it is. I was going to the local community college to earn my degree, but because I don't qualify for financial aid, due to my parent's income levels, I only received enough money through grants and scholarships to cover about half of the cost. I tried to pay the rest out of pocket, but it didn't work so I was kicked out of school. Because I was kicked out of school, my parents kicked me out of their house. I was homeless with only a part time job to help me get by. I stayed with my grandparents three days a week and stayed at a few friends' houses the other nights. I got two jobs and tried my best to keep moving on with my life, but it didn't work out so well. I had to sell my car and most of my belongings, including my laptop, to keep myself afloat, but that ran out fast. I've been hopping from job to job hoping to make enough money that I can put a security deposit down on an apartment, but it was taking too long. So me, being the foolish and stupid person I am, took out a loan.

It wasn't much, only $400 worth, but the 326% interest rate and the absurd monthly payments were too much. So I took out another loan, then another, then another, and now here I am, still homeless and working two jobs to only bring home roughly $50 at the end of the month. I made bad decisions, really bad decisions, and now I'm paying for them, but I don't know what else to do. I don't have a college degree, nor do I have the training to get me anywhere good, and I'm so close to giving up that I don't even cry anymore. It doesn't really affect me that bad at this point, which is probably worse than it torturing me in the beginning. Because of all of this, and the fact that I sold my laptop, I lost any sort of interest in writing. I didn't see the point. I still don't, but I'm hoping that by forcing myself to put words on paper that I can eventually gain back the love for writing I had. So I began writing my own original stories. I have two that I'm writing right now, both of which aren't fanfiction so I can't post them on this site, but I do have them on Wattpad. Because both of these stories can't be on this website, I don't see the reason why I need to keep writing my other stories on here, so I am going to be moving all of them to Wattpad. I will keep them here, but I won't be updating them on this site anymore. If you want to keep reading my stories, you'll need to follow me on Wattpad under the username CJackson1701. It might take me a few days to get everything moved over, but don't worry, they'll all be up soon enough. I am also going to be doing some major editing to most of my stories. I like the plot to them all, but I realize now the amount of continuity and grammar mistakes in a few of them are ridiculous.

I am sorry for the delay in updating, but I honestly hope you all can understand why it has taken so long. I'm still struggling and I still don't really have anywhere to go, but I know that I can make it through this somehow, I just need to keep pushing through. I hope you all can forgive me! And just know that those of you who actually took the time to read this and are willing to support me through this are the most amazing people ever. It's because of you guys that I am pushing through and I hope you can see that.

~CJ


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